A plain-language definition, not a conclusion about a document or case. Read the term in its full legal context.
Plain-English meaning
Witness
A person who observes or participates in the execution of a legal document and may later provide evidence about how it was signed.
Why the term matters
Witness eligibility, presence, signatures, and attestations can be central to will and advance-directive validity.
Do not confuse it with
A witness and a notary perform different functions; some documents use one, the other, or both under state law.